THE ARCHITECT
by AlbaRadElWho
Summary: The day I met the Doctor was the most wonderful but also the weirdest day of my life. Nothing could have foreshadowed what was going to happen and how my life was going to change dramatically. My name is Abigail Kernel and I am going to tell you my story.
1. NOTE from the author

**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR :**

Hi everyone ! My (nick)name is Alba and I have been on FanFiction for many years now, but never published anything in English... I wrote two long fanfictions on Harry Potter in French (as I am French) but I couldn't imagine writing anything in French about Doctor Who (I'm watching the TV series in English on the Internet) ! So... I'm having a try !

That being said, I want to apologize for any mistakes as English is not my native language. I wouldn't mind if some of you might have corrections to make... It would be unbearable to read a text in French full of grammar mistakes or misprint for me, so don't hesitate if you feel the urge to send me a message and correct some sentences !

As far as my story is concerned, it happens after the end of season 5, so with the Eleventh Doctor but without the whole River Song story... I had to make a choice because River is one of my favorite character but I reinvented a new companion...

The Doctor traveled with Amy and Rory (as well as Rose, Martha, Donna or Jack) but finally took the decision to leave Rory and Amy live their life together far from any danger. He would then remain alone with his TARDIS, until... well, _SPOILERS_ !

I hope you'll enjoy this fanfiction...

* * *

**CONTENTS**

**Part 1:** The weerie girl

**Part 2:** The madman with a blue box

**Part 3:** Time And Relative Dimension In Space

**Part 4:** Invasion

**Part 5:** The Call_  
_

**Part 6:** Shutting down _  
_

**Part 7:** The Architect _  
_

**Part 8:** The Weakness

**Part 9:** Left behind _  
_

**Part 10:** The Doctor's return _  
_

**Part 11:** Farewell _  
_

**EPILOGUE**


	2. The Weerie Girl

**PART 1: **

**The weerie girl**

The day I met the Doctor was the most wonderful but also the weirdest day of my life. Nothing could have foreshadowed what was going to happen and how my life was going to change dramatically. My name is Abigail Kernel and I am going to tell you my story.

"Abi!" My mum was calling me from downstairs but I couldn't make a move towards the door. I knew that if I went through that door it would be over sooner than I expected... Would it be a good thing then? Ending it as quickly as it had started? Nobody could save me from that now and nobody wanted it anyway. They liked to think that I was happy... I have to admit that, even for me, it's so easy to hide behind a shallow and dull life, and having everybody think that happiness had finally knocked at my door one morning. They were all so blind... apart from Bonnie, maybe. She knew me well, so well that she tried to prevent this day from coming. But nothing and no one could stop it now... and I definitely cannot go back in time!

This bloody dress was definitely too tight... I couldn't even breathe in it. Come on! this is stupid! it is supposed to be the happiest day of my life and I am complaining about a £550 dress! "Look at you...", I murmured, "...you don't even manage to look happy in the mirror! Smile, god dammit..."

I spent almost ten minutes trying to get a proper smile while saying "I do" without that annoying feeling I was going to say "I don't and I never will!"

"ABI!" my mum shouted again. "We're leaving for the Church!"

"FINE!" I retorted. "Bon' will take me there..." I answered.

"...or not" I murmured.

"I heard you, weerie girl..."

Bonnie has just entered my bedroom, with a strange smile on her face. I loved it when she called me "weerie", it had always been my nickname as far as I could remember. It was a mix between "wee" because I was a short and slender girl and "eerie" as everyone always thought I was a bit strange. Maybe I was, I don't know, but I'm definitely living with it!

As I sat on my bed, she took her place besides me and asked with a gentle voice:

"What's wrong?"

"You perfectly know what's wrong..." I answered a bit dryly.

"Oh, come on, Abi! It was your choice..."

"I just... made a mistake. I... I don't want to go."

I got up and walked toward my desk. I sat on the chair and just waited for a few seconds. As she exactly knew what I was going to do, she came to me and stopped my trembling hand which was on the right drawer's knob.

"Don't." she muttered.

Every day, every moment and every second of my life, whenever I was tired, sad or even desperate, I looked inside that little drawer and it came back to me: hope. I still didn't understand how it worked. I guess it was the very reason why everybody thought I was mad... the mad girl with her papers and her dreams. I stared at Bonnie for a long minute. I knew how I looked at that moment: a drug addict, a junky... but I just needed to take a look at them. She took her hand off mine and walked back to the bed in silent. I had hidden all my secrets in there: an entire sketchbook containing forms, colors and objects which didn't make any sense. Only one thing was recognizable and so redundant: the shape of a very old blue police box and an aged but proud man, standing in front of it. Who was he? I had no idea.

"Him again..." Bonnie muttered.

I guess I looked even weirder at that precise moment: I realized I was skimming my character's face with my fingers.

"Having those dreams again?" she asked.

"Yep... they never left me, I guess, after 25 years, they're still here... I'm just pretending they're not existing in front of Fergus and my parents."

An uncomfortable silence settled in. Suddenly, Bonnie got up and loudly gasped.

"I know how much these drawings are important for you, Abi, but..."

"Yeah, I should throw them away and live a normal life like everybody on this damn planet!"

"Oh listen now! I'm not telling you to give those away, I perfectly know they make you happy! but for the hundredth time, you're gonna get married to a guy who hates everything about them and who thinks you're completely doo-lally! It's not the drawing you should get rid of, seriously!"

"Yeah? And why is he marrying me then?"

"He wants to change you! How could a man be in love with you if he's continuously trying to change who you are, hey?

"Listen, Bon'! He's the only one who's interested in me..."

"That is so NOT true! Remember Sean, in secondary school, or... Will, hey? Do you remember Will? he was so cute! Oh, and...

"Oi! Stop that! You're not helping!"

I was up now. I started looking in the mirror again but I still had my sketchbook in my right hand, holding it firmly.

"Just saying he's not the one for you..." she added.

"Then, who is?" I murmured.

At that precise moment, a sheet of paper slipped out of my book and, like a leaf the first day of autumn, slowly fell down at my feet. I bent down to take it and I realized it was my last drawing: the old man's eyes, staring at me. As if I had a last wish before dying, I let a tear slide on my cheek and pronounced with a trembling voice:

"Whoever you are, wherever you are, please come and help me..."

I heard a weird whizzing groaning but familiar sound coming from outside, in the backyard.

"What is it?" Bonnie asked, worried.

"I don't know... but I've heard this noise before..."

"Oh, probably the old McLaren trying to get rid of the pigeons with his rusty radio set again!"

"This... was... so hilarious!" I said, bursting out laughing. "Come on, we'll see if he's doing it again!"

"Don't forget you're getting married in 15 minutes! Everybody is waiting for you!"

I smiled. I lifted up my dress a little bit and I headed toward the bedroom's door. I almost tripped and fell when a man suddenly appeared at the door. Bonnie let a cry out .

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" I shouted. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?"

"I'm the Doctor, and you called me!" he said, looking at the room as if he were scanning it.

"You're a doctor?" Bonnie asked. "What kind of doctor?"

The man stopped in front of both of us and gazed at us in a strange way. He was tall and skinny. He had a large and pointy chin, clear eyes, probably green, and almost no eyebrows. Not even mentioning his hair! They didn't even look real... He was wearing an brown tweed jacket with elbow patches, a weary pair of black trousers hold by braces and ankle-high boots. He was even wearing a bow tie! Who wears bow ties nowadays? He walked toward Bonnie and looked down her hair like he was smelling her, and added:

"I'm not A doctor, I'm _the_ Doctor."

"But Doctor who?" she retorted.

"Precisely..." he muttered, moving toward me robbing his hands together.

I stood up there and I didn't know why but I couldn't move. He stayed a long time looking at me deeply as if he were intrigued by me. Without moving his eyes from one inch, he took out something from his pocket and showed it to Bonnie, as if he were proudly presenting a card from Scotland Yard.

"A psychiatrist?" she exclaimed.

"WHAT?" I shouted.

I stepped backwards and looked at the paper he showed to Bonnie. He was still smiling.

"It's not a psychiatrist!" I said. "you're showing a white paper!"

"No, I'm not!" he retorted right away.

"Yes, you are!" I repeated.

I took the paper from his hand and showed it to Bonnie.

"See!" I said dryly pointing at it. "Nothing!"

"Well, I'm sorry but I can see "The Doctor. Psychiatrist. Here to help."

"There's no way you can see that!" I shouted. "Wait... Oh, right... I understand! "_You called me_". You two are taking the mickey out of me! A psychiatrist! Of course..."

"Abi, believe me, I see where you're going! I didn't call any psychiatrist! If I did, I'd probably have chosen anybody but this guy!"

"Oi, I'm right here!" he exclaimed.

"Cannot be bothered..." retorted Bonnie to his face, like a child.

The man went at the opposite corner and sat on my rocking-chair, near the window. He looked young, probably in his late twenties or early thirties, but strangely he had the look of an old man, lost in his thoughts. Bonnie and I were completely astonished by the way he was behaving. He broke the silence.

"Why are you wearing this anyway?"

"It's a wedding dress!" I retorted, scowling.

"A wedding d... oh, blimey, what's wrong with you ladies! It's the third one! The THIRD one!"

"Well, apparently you know the matter!" Bonnie added. "This one here doesn't want to get married..."

"Bon'! Hush! He doesn't have to know! We don't know him!" I muttered.

"He's a psychiatrist! Maybe he can help you!"

"I don't do weddings!" he said, suddenly. He was gazing at my sketchbook and the sheet of paper I had in my hand before he intruded into the house.

"It doesn't matter! I want you to leave." I said, firmly. "You got here without any authorization, I'm gonna call the police now."

"Do you have something to eat? I'm starving!" he exclaimed calmly, getting up from the rocking chair.

"Are you kidding me? GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" I yelled.

He brushed past me and I had a strange sensation like a warm feeling and a need to cry inexplicably. Weirdly, as I thought he was leaving, he stopped and looked at me, once again intrigued. Did he feel it too? He rose his hand gently and touched my cheek. At that moment, everything went blurry. I felt like I was swirling into a black hole. I think I fainted.


	3. The Madman with a Blue Box

**PART 2**

**The mad man with a blue box**

I was in the middle of a courtyard. Everything was very blurry. How did I even end up here? I did not know... I did not understand why I had the urge to wonder how and why I was there... Of course, this was where I was supposed to be! But wasn't I in a comfortable bedroom a few minutes ago? And... why would I be? or... was I dreaming? A terrible headache started to invade from my forehead to the top of my neck. Everything seemed blurry... so blurry...

I was alone. I looked up to the sky but I could only see an orange and red light which was blinding me. It went dark suddenly as the sun – or whatever was up there - stopped shinning. Millions of stars appeared but no moon... Some of them were actually much bigger than the moon and it seemed that there were closer to each others. "Weird", I thought. "Impossible, though...but logical, right?". Strangely enough, I was not scared. I felt quite at peace. I realized I have been to this place before... so many times, but I could not put a name on it... or, maybe, I never left.

Something started beeping next to me, making a sound like a sonar, but I could not see it. My head was stuck looking straight at a blue police box. The beeping stopped after a few seconds and I felt relieved. "Bloody alarm..." I whispered. Was it a murmur in my head or me really talking? Either way, the voice was hesitant and quaking. The beeping noise rang out once more but louder this time. It seemed to cry out in my head. I got up and I ran... I ran as far I could, with my hands in front of me. I stopped when my right hand touched a vertical wooden surface. At that moment, I felt sucked up by it after having been entirely crushed by a gigantic force. It was like my whole body stopped existing. I shouted. I shouted again and again.

I opened my eyes and I saw two faces in front of me: one of them was very close to mine. For a second, I thought I was in a complete foreign place but it happened I was on my bed, at home. A dream... a nightmare... one again. A flashing green light appeared in front of me suddenly.

"What are you doing with that thing?" Bonnie shouted.

"She'll be fine." the man answered.

"You again..." I muttered, dryly, as I was trying to find a proper breath. "What is that?" I asked, looking at this weird object he had in his hand.

"A screwdriver." he answered right away.

"A screwdriver!" Bonnie said, outraged. "Aye, this is exactly what a _doctor _needs to check if a patient's alright... a screwdriver! Really!"

"I'm not that kind of doctor... and it's sonic."

"What is?"

"It's a _sonic_ screwdriver!"

He went to the window and looked calmly through it as if he were waiting for something.

"Sure, a sonic screwdriver... you block are completely mad you know that? and if you're not _that _kind of_ "doctor", _who are you then?" replied Bonnie.

"There's someone coming." he said slowly.

"What?" I replied. "Bon', what time is it?"

"Well..."

"BON'!"

"You actually fainted and rested... for half an hour! I didn't know what to do!"

"BLIMEY!"

I ran toward the window and I saw two cars which hastily parked in front of the house.

"Oh no, no, no, no..."

"Oh, it ain't going to be pretty!" Bonnie added.

I faced her and said as quickly as I could:

"I don't want to go... I don't want to do it..."

"Are you sure about this?" she replied.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure!"

My parents would never accept the situation, never. Their only child left her fiancé at the altar. What a shame! The neighbours would talk about it for months... the news would spread like the plague and I would be known as the girl who broke a nice and perfect town-boy's heart. Not to mention they already thought I was a dreamer and a nutter.

I looked at the so-called _doctor, _still standing near the window. He was smiling at me. In a strange way, I found it comforting. I knew at that moment that I had to get away from this house. As he guessed what I was thinking, he suddenly opened the window and pointed his screwdriver out toward the cars.

"What the hell is he doing now?" Bonnie shouted.

I got closer to him and watched the strange scene which was happening in the front yard. All the cars' occupants were stuck inside their car and they were struggling to get out. That was hilarious.

"How are you doing that?" I whispered, admiring him.

"I told you... "sonic"!" he answered.

I did not really understand what it meant but I gave him my biggest smile. I turned around and said to Bonnie:

"He locked them up inside their cars!"

"What? But... how? And... what for?" Bonnie stammered.

I looked at him once again and muttered:

"A diversion..."

He smiled and took my hand firmly.

"You're clever... I like it! C'mon, it won't last long!" he shouted.

He took my hand and my whole body shivered as if it went suddenly cooler and warmer at the same time. He fixed me with an intense and intrigued look. I was sure he felt it too, whatever it was. He pulled me out of the bedroom and Bonnie followed us. We climbed down the stairs rapidly and headed to the kitchen at the back of the house. I heard voices near the front door. They managed to get out of the cars. Bonnie ran to the back bay window and tried to open it.

"It's locked! Where's that bloody key..." Bonnie mumbled.

My whole family was looking for me and I couldn't get away this time. I had to give an explanation.

"Abi! ABI!"

It was Fergus's voice. He sounded furious. The mysterious man pointed his screwdriver – or whatever it was – at the front door and turned around to aim at the back bay window. The lock made a clicking sound and Bonnie managed to open and get out.

"How the hell do you do that?" she shouted.

"Later" he said rapidly.

Still holding my hand, he dragged me out of the kitchen. We ended up in the small backyard and hid behind an large oak tree.

"Brilliant! We're stuck!" Bonnie murmured. "What do we do now?"

"We can't hide here forever... we'll have to come out eventually!" I added.

For some reasons, I was still holding the man's hand. I lowered my head, stared at our hands for a few seconds and let go of his. Who was this man? Why was he helping us?

I saw a figure enter the kitchen: It was him, Fergus, he was wearing a dashing three-piece suit and this time, by the look of his face, I was sure of it... he _was_ furious. My mother was behind him. I recognized the way she was moving: scratching her neck where probably imaginary skin blemishes erupted and her eyes wide open as if she were trying to wake up from a bad dream. I hated when she did that... They tried to open the bay window with the key but couldn't manage. I heard a whizzing sound next to me. He was holding that screwdriver firmly to maintain the window closed.

"Is she ...your mother?" he asked, breathless.

"Yes. "

"She looks... nice..."

"She's angry..."

"Well, I don't want to see that... see, I've got this thing with mothers... they don't... like me much! So you need to take a decision! I think... right now! 'cause I can't hold it any longer!"

"You don't understand!" Bonnie added, "She'll make her marry him! It's a small town here! Abi's just humiliated her... they'll know! Everybody!"

Bonnie faced me and said quietly:

"Can you do this? Can you handle it?"

"I don't know... and I don't think running away is the right solution either..." I answered, lowering my head.

"You've always told me you didn't think you belonged here... so maybe, it's time to take the right decision for once, even if... it's gonna break my heart. Because you know, deep down, that the only way you could get through this is!"

One single tear came out of Bonnie's right eye. She looked at the mysterious man and said:

"She'll be trapped in a unhappy and uninteresting life... Sir, whoever or whatever you are, please, help her!"

"Are you sure there's no way you can talk to them and make things right?" he replied.

"Oh, you don't know them..." Bonnie muttered.

The man approached Bonnie with care and looked into her eyes.

"Are you sure they're human?"

"What do you mean "human"? Of course they're "human", like everybody else here!"

"I wouldn't count on that..."

He smiled and turned around suddenly, flapping his hands together eagerly:

"Well!" he said. You're lucky, ladies, because that's what I do! I help people!"

"How are we getting away from here then? We can't go through the front door!" I exclaimed.

"We don't need the door, we've got... plan B!" The Doctor said quietly.

"Was there any plan A?" Bonnie muttered.

"Shush!" the Doctor said, putting his finger on Bonnie's mouth. "Are you ready to help your friend escape?"

Bonnie nodded.

"You're absolutely sure? Even if you're left behind?"

"What do you mean _"left behind"_?" I cried out.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Bonnie replied quickly, "I'll handle them... they're not my family!"

"Alright then!" the Doctor said, still smiling.

He stepped forward a bit closer to the bay window and yelled:

"Move that bench over there and stuck the handle with this lead piping!"

We executed his orders as if it were the most logical thing we had to do at this precise moment. I glanced at Fergus and my mother through the window while I was trying to get the piping under the handle. They were so mad they could have broken the glass with their own fists if they had been stronger. I could not help myself smiling at them like a kid about to make something mischievous and silly. I did not know what this man had in mind, but I found it so... exciting. Finally, something was happening in my life, something strange, something... fantastic!

"Done", I said.

"Alright, so... now... what do you think of a more spectacular... exit?" The Doctor shouted, just after he winked at me.  
He aimed at something behind him without taking his eyes off my mother and Fergus, still shouting out at us through the bay window. Like an invisible, magical and flighty veil had been removed from the air itself, a gigantic and majestic blue box appeared in the background. It looked like those old police phone box from the 1920's unless this one had a bright shinning light coming from inside. The object made me shiver and I was attracted to it like a mouse would be to a piece of cheese. I was sure I have seen that blue box before... My drawings... I drew that box in my sketchbook... I dreamt of that blue box, so many times.

The Doctor ran frenetically toward the box and leaned on one of the corner, his arms folded proudly.

"Your taxi, ma'am..." he said.

"To where?" I replied, walking slowly toward the box, my eyes wide open.

"To anywhere!"

"She's... beautiful!" I said.

"She is, isn't sh... what? Wait a minute..._"she_"? Why did you say "_she_"?"

I did not answer. I always thought of that box as a _"she" _when I was drawing it... a faithful companion for that lonely old white-haired man. I couldn't believe it was here, in my garden, the same exact box I was dreaming about, only it looked a bit... newer. I came closer and I put my hand slowly and carefully on the wooden surface. I felt an sudden electric discharge which made me shudder.

The man snapped his fingers and the front door opened right away. I could barely see inside because of the dazzling light radiating from it.

"What's inside?" I asked.

I felt him stepping behind me slowly and whispering in my ear:

"Everything you've always dreamt of..." he answered.

My whole body shivered, once more.

"It's only a police box... is _that_ your plan?" Bonnie mumbled.

Sensible observation, I had to admit it. But the way this box appeared was definitely not conventional. The man did not answer. I still felt his presence near my right ear. I closed my eyes so I could only hear his breathing. That man... that mysterious stranger... he made me feel so unique... so important. Like in my dreams. Why? I did not know. But I liked it.

He skirted me and stepped eagerly inside the box. I followed him carefully but Bonnie took my arm and muttered:

"It's just a box... "

She was right in a way... just a box, like the one in Earls Court in London. I always thought I drew the blue box in my sketchbook after having seen the one outside the Underground station when I was a little girl. But I found out on the Internet recently that it had been built around 1997 and those dreams had started way before that.

"I just need to see it..." I replied.

I passed through the door and I stopped right away. What I was seeing was wonderful and I stayed absolutely gobsmacked: a huge bright room surrounded by high orange walls decorated with yellowish roundels and sorts of windows although they seemed to have a view on nothing but darkness. Various stairs were probably leading to other rooms and the main room itself had three levels which were visible thanks to the large glass floor under my feet. In the very middle of this amazing room, there was a hexagonal console showing many switches and handles, a sort of television or computer screen and, at its center, a long and circular tube overlooked the whole place. A mutter, like a breathing engine, was ringing out in my ears almost like voices. I stepped back toward the door without turning around, keeping eye contact on the console and my mysterious man standing in front of it. I got out, looked around at the whole box, then walked in again. It was bigger on the inside... or smaller on the outside, depending on the angle. How strange... how exciting! I have seen that kind of trick in a film once, it was... magic. So, what did it make him? A wizard?

"Well?" he wondered. "Any passing remarks? I've had them all."

I smiled and asked:

"Have you decorated it yourself?"

He winced and stopped rubbing his hands suddenly.

"I... yes!"

"Mmmhh..." I nodded. "I don't like it."

Visibly surprised by my answer, he walked rapidly toward me, frowning his eyebrows, giving me probably his darker look.

"Sorry? What did you say?" he grumbled.

I did really know why I said that. First I thought I might have offended him but then I realized while looking straight at him that he was more intrigued than hurt in his feelings.

I heard a bang outside.

"ABI!"

It was Bonnie. We ran out of the box and she cried out:

"They're getting through!"

The bay-window was opening slowing and Fergus was trying to push the bench away while my mother was getting rid of the lead pipping. There was only one thing I wanted to do at that precise moment: getting back inside the blue box and stay hidden... forever. I looked at the stranger and said:

"You've got a console inside with buttons and stuff... what does it do?"

"What do you think?" he said, smiling.

"There's no time for riddles!" Bonnie shouted.

"It looks like a control console, right?" I wondered quickly. "So, I guess it's like inside a plane... If these handles and switches aren't dummies, then... you can... fly it! Am I right, Doctor?"

"You called me Doctor!" he replied, smiling.

He held out his hand to me and added:

"Your call, now."

I did not think much. I turned around and hugged Bonnie as much as I could. I whispered at her ear:

"You have seen nothing, ok?"

I released her from my embrace and winked at her. I hoped she understood what I was trying to tell her by this. I saw Fergus stepping over the bench and running toward me so I turned around, took the Doctor's hand and hurried inside the police box. I heard Fergus outside shouting my name and and hitting the door with anger. I stayed behind the door so that he could not enter.

"Don't worry!" The Doctor retorted. "It's locked."

He dashed frenetically to the console and pressed some buttons eagerly. He was spinning and jumping around like a kid at Christmas. He stopped suddenly and fixed me intensely, his right hand upon a silver lever.

"You might want to step back, Fergus!" I cried out through the door.

"You might want to hold on to something..." The Doctor added, a large smile on his face. "It's gonna be bumpy ride!"


End file.
